1 PointsPlus™ Value Stir-Fries

You’re hungry, in a hurry, and all you have left is one little PointsPlus value? Here's your SOS.

Article By: Ronne Freedman, Recipe Developer

These super quick, super tasty veggie combos are easy to love. We packed so much taste into 1 PointsPlus value that these recipes can be the center of your dinner. Serve them over rice or pasta, or add chicken, meat, fish or soy for a complete one-wok meal.

Each stir-fry we’ve developed can be adjusted according to what’s in your fridge and which vegetables you like best. We give you the general instructions, tips on how to make it quickly, and recipes for different sauces. You mix and match.

Each from-scratch sauce takes about a minute or two to make. You can also buy a bottled sauce, but our recipe testing showed that you get tastier results (and often lower PointsPlus values) when you make the sauce yourself.

We also tested raw versus par-boiled vegetables. Although you can always just toss the vegetables in the stir-fry pan from start to finish, sometimes we like to parboil or steam the denser vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips and kale, first. When a vegetable is precooked, it only needs 1 to 3 minutes in the wok. That means you can prepare the vegetables ahead and finish the dish in 3 to 5 minutes.

Notes

How to make it faster: Mix the sauce the night before, buy precut vegetables from a salad bar or buy bottled stir-fry sauce instead (could affect PointsPlus values).

Great over brown rice or served with steamed shrimp or shredded chicken.

Japanese-Style Stir-Fry

Makes 6 serving Yields about 5 to 5 1/2 cups total

PointsPlus™ value | 1 per serving

Ingredients

1 Tbsp fresh minced gingerroot

1 large minced garlic clove

1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp mirin or sweet sherry

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 sprays cooking spray, canola-variety recommended

1 tsp sesame oil

4 cups broccoli florets

3 medium carrots, julienned

1 medium red pepper, cut into chunks

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine ginger, garlic, sugar, mirin, vinegar and soy sauce; set aside

Generously coat a large nonstick skillet (or wok) with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat; heat oil until shimmering. Add broccoli and carrots; stir-fry about 5 to 7 minutes. Add pepper; stir-fry for about 1 to 3 minutes more. Add sauce and heat through, about 30 seconds to 1 minute; serve immediately. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Notes

How to make it faster: Parboil the broccoli and carrots the night before to decrease the stir-fry time. Or use quicker-cooking vegetables such as spinach and matchstick carrots. You can even buy a bottled Japanese stir-fry or teriyaki sauce (could affect PointsPlus values).

Wonderful as side dish for flank steak, pork roast or miso-glazed fish.

Mixed Greens Stir-Fry

Makes 6 serving Yields about 3 cups total

PointsPlus™ value | 1 per serving

Ingredients

3 sprays cooking spray, olive oil-variety recommended

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

3/4 lb baby spinach

3/4 lb baby arugula

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

1/4 tsp sugar

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Coat a large pot with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat; heat oil until shimmering. Add spinach and arugula; cook until just wilted, turning greens over with tongs from the bottom of the pot to the top, about 1 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar; stir and heat through, about 30 seconds. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Notes

How to make it faster: Use reduced-calorie Italian or vinaigrette dressing instead of salt, pepper and vinegar (could affect PointsPlus values).